


A Young Man Named Merlin

by HarryET (sagejj)



Category: Merlin (TV)
Genre: F/M, Merlin pendragon, Royal Merlin, legal magic
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-11-15
Updated: 2016-11-21
Packaged: 2018-08-31 06:08:25
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 2,988
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8566906
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sagejj/pseuds/HarryET
Summary: In a land of myth, and a time of magic, there lived a young man, his name, Merlin.In a reality where Merlin is the third child of Uther and Ygraine, in a time where magic is not outlawed, but looked down upon and swamped in prejudice, how will Merlin grow up? Having to avoid the bad stigma of magic and bring honor to the Pendragon name, will Prince Merlin, third in line to the throne of Camelot, succeed?





	1. Prologue

**Author's Note:**

> I don't own anything!! Enjoy.

Uther birskly paced in the hall outside of his wife's chambers. He had not heard any news since the mid-wife kicked him out three hours before. He took a deep breath to calm his nerves, and prepared to knock on the door, because a king would not be kept waiting.

He jumped as the door creaked open.  
"Excuse me your majesty," said the maid timidly, "the Queen is ready to see you now."  
Uther straightened his back and strode confidently into the room. He allowed a small smile to make its way upon his face as he saw his wife beaming with pride at the small bundle she held in her hands.

"It's a boy Your Majesty." Ygraine told him with a blinding smile. She placed the child in his hands. Uther noticed immediately that he was small, and hoped in his heart that he would survive the winter.

Uther brushed back a few strands of the baby's meager black hair and held him close when he stretched to yawn.

"Have you thought of a name, Your Majesty?" Ygraine inquired.

"Merlin." Said the King. "He may he small, but he will be a hunter, a bird of prey, and he will bring pride to the name of Pendragon."

Ygraine smiled as Uther handed back the baby. "A wise choice."

Uther nodded respectfully to his wife before turning to exit her chambers. "I will go to the nursery now, to inform Arthur and Morgana of thier new baby brother."

Ygraine waved goodbye, and proceeded to call the maid to take Merlin and put him to sleep.

 

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Arthur glared at his toy horse on the floor of the nursery with his arms folded. He didn't want another sibling, it was not fair. He already didn't see Mama for two whole days because she was "getting the new baby.". Arthur decided that the new baby was mean, because it was taking up all of Mama's time.

The door to the nursery opened, interrupting Arthur's thoughts.  
" Papa!" Morgana jumped up from where she had been playing with her doll and raced to embrace her father.

Uther gave her a quick hug and then motioned for Arthur to come to him.  
"I have exciting news children." He said solemnly. "Your mother has given birth to your new baby brother, his name is Merlin."

Morgana clapped her hands in excitement. "Can we see him? Will we see Mama too?"

"Not yet." Uther answered. "Perhaps tomorrow when your mother is rested."

Arthur pouted. "I don't want a new baby brother. I already have Morgana."

"I will be having none of that, Arthur. You will treat your new brother with love and respect, and if you do not you will be reprimanded."

Arthur frowned, but kept quiet till Uther left the nursery.  
It was only after Uther walked out and the door shut behind him, that he narrowed his eyes and muttered under his breath. "Merlin, is a stupid name."


	2. Chapter 1

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here's another chapter because a prologue is not counted.

Merlin is two and a half years old when his magic first manifests. His nursemaid, Helga, is sitting on a chair in the royal nursery when she notices Merlin’s building blocks are floating around his head, as he grins and claps with unrestrained glee. Helga leapt from her chair and ran from the nursery faster than anyone could imagine was possible for the rather rotund nursemaid. 

Uther didn’t know what to do when his youngest child’s nursemaid burst into the throne room breathing heavily and blubbering something about Merlin. After Gaius, the court physician, calmed her down, she proceeded to take another deep breath before saying, “Your Majesty…My Lord…There’s-Merlin is-He has-.” It takes the combined efforts of Gaius and Queen Ygraine to quiet Helga down again.

Ygraine smiles at Helga kindly, masking her worry for Merlin. “Why don’t you show us what’s wrong, Helga?”

Helga nodded mutely before leading Lady Ygraine out of the throne room and toward the nursery. Ygraine freezes when she sees the blocks that were still floating around Merlin’s head, she rushes to his side to see that his eyes had turned from their normal dark blue to an unnatural golden hue. 

“Merlin,” She says in a shaky voice while taking Merlin onto her lap. “Can you put the blocks down? Can you do that for Mama?”

Merlin turns to grin at her and the blocks clunk onto the floor, “Mama!” he says while hugging her. Ygraine hugs him back worrying about how she’s going to break the news to her husband. 

 

It is only later that night when Uther has the time to question his wife about what was troubling the nursemaid. 

“She saw-it’s…” Ygraine started hesitantly. Uther sighed in exasperation. 

“Ygraine! Spit it out already.”

“Merlin has magic!”

Uther froze for a second. “We must keep it a secret.” He said in a harsh voice. “No one can know that someone of the Pendragon house has magic.”  
Ygraine nodded before Uther continued. “Only those most trusted in the palace shall know. We can have Gaius help Merlin reign it in and we must find a replacement nursemaid and swear the old one to secrecy.”

“Yes My Lord.” Ygraine answered with a heavy heart. She hoped this was the right path to take, scared for Merlin’s wellbeing. It was in that moment that she pledged no matter what the consequences, she would protect her son. 

 

Arthur was seven years old, and it was his responsibility to teach Merlin that Arthur was probably the most important person that he’d ever meet-except for Mama and Papa. 

“Listen, Merlin,” Arthur said to the attentive four-year-old. “Lord Edison told me in my lessons that because I’m the oldest I’m more ‘portant than you and ‘Gana combined.”

Morgana looked up from where she was brushing her doll’s hair. “Don’t listen to Arthur, Merlin. He’s being stupid.”

Arthur made a face at Morgana. “Don’t listen to ‘Gana, Merlin. She’s just crabby because she got born eight minutes after I did.”

Merlin looked between his two older siblings. “Are you gonna fight with a sword? ‘Cuz knights are ‘portant and they’ve got swords.” Merlin nodded sagely at the end of his sentence, confident that his logic was sound.

Arthur grinned and drew himself up to his full height. “Course I’m gonna get a sword Merlin. I’m gonna be in charge of all the knights.”  
Merlin’s mouth fell open as he looked at his older brother with something akin to awe. Morgana watched the exchange and rolled her eyes, boys were stupid, she decided. 

“Hey, Merlin! I’ve got an idea.” Merlin nodded eagerly in response. “How ‘bout you and me go to the armory and I can show you how real knights hold swords.”

Merlin nodded again, only having a second to process the amazing idea Arthur had proposed before Arthur pulled him to stand up next to him. 

“Let’s go!” He said and proceeded to lead Merlin toward the door of the nursery. 

“You’re going to get in trouble.” Said Morgana. “I’m going to tell on you.”

Arthur paused. “No, you’re not.” He said with certainty. “You’re going to come with us.”  
\- -- - --- --- -- --- -- --- -- -- ---- -- ---  
“Hush!” Arthur whispered over his shoulder. “’Gana! Make Merlin stop bumping into things! The guards’ll hear us and I won’t be able to show Merlin the swords.”  
Morgana glared at Arthur’s back hoping that he’d feel the poison of her gaze. She held Merlin’s hand a little tighter and pulled him along with her around the corner. 

“Here we are! Come on.” Arthur rushed into the armory glad that there were no guards.

“Wooaah.” Merlin breathed, as he looked at the assortment of swords, knives, crossbows, and maces that adorned the walls. 

“O.K. We’ve seen the swords. Let’s go.” Morgana turned around, still holding Merlin’s hand, and started walking briskly toward the door. 

“Stop it, Morgana! I’ve got to show Merlin how I can hold one. Right, Merlin?”

Merlin nodded and pulled Morgana closer to Arthur. 

Arthur smirked at Morgana and reached up to take one of the mounted swords. As the tips of his fingers touched the sword, the sounds of clomping boots could be heard coming down the hallway, and toward the armory. Arthur jerked in panic and crashed into the wall as Sir Lersner came in front of the doorway. 

The swords came crashing down, Arthur squeezed his eyes shut as the sharp edge of one sword came falling toward him. Five seconds of tense silence passed when Arthur realized that no sword had hit him. He opened his eyes and paled immediately as he saw all the swords suspended in mid-air, he shifted his gaze and saw Sir Lersner frozen in the doorway disgust clearly written across his features as he looked at Merlin.

The silence was broken when Morgana grabbed Merlin’s shoulder. The swords slammed onto the floor, Sir Lersner flinched, and Morgana shoved past him, Merlin’s arm in hand and Arthur hot on their heels.  
\--- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- ---- -- -- ---- --- --  
Uther paced angrily in front of Arthur, Morgana, and Merlin. “Sir Lersner had to be removed from service and banished after he spoke slurs against the House of Pendragon. He was sworn to silence, and now I have lost a valued member of my knights, and he may leak this secret to everyone!”  
Merlin sniffled. “I’m sorry.”

“It’s not Merlin’s fault!” Morgana said. “It was Arthur’s idea, and he was the one who knocked down all the swords.”  
Uther growled and whipped around to face them. “You all share the blame equally! Because of this incident, I have asked Gaius to look into magic suppressors until Merlin can control it properly.”

“You will all go without dinner tonight. I hope you will do better in the future and do what is expected as a member of the House of Pendragon.” Uther headed to the door. “Especially you, Arthur.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Let me know what you guys think!!


	3. Chapter Two

Merlin sat on the cold stone steps leading up to the castle entrance and fiddled with the thin silver bracelet that was around his wrist.

He was bored. Exceedingly so. Arthur was now something of a shadow to Uther, having begun his lessons on what it takes to govern over a kingdom. He still had some free time to play with Merlin, but that would soon be taken away when he would be apprenticed to an accomplished Knight, as was the norm with the ten year olds of noble blood in Camelot.

Morgana, of course, was much to prim and proper at this point to do anything that involved 'playing'.

Merlin had most of his days to himself, at first he thought he'd enjoy the freedom and independence. He'd convinced himself he'd explore all on his own, but having grown up in the palace, he already knew every secret there was to be had there.

Merlin sighed and gazed upon the bustling courtyard. Knights walked to and fro bedecked in their armor. Peasants bringing wheelbarrows of their produce to the castle kitchens, made their way across the stone expanse.

Merlin mentally went over the list of over the list of people he could go see at the moment. His mother was probably reviewing petitions from the peasants at the moment. His friend Will from the stables was probably helping his father with the work. Gaius was probably gathering herbs in the woods.

With that final thought Merlin was hit with inspiration. He would go to the woods! What better place to explore than the inexplorable.

Merlin grinned and started up from his spot on the steps. This was an amazing idea.

\-- -- -- -- -- --- -- -- -- --- -- -- -- --

Merlin groaned as he got up from earthy floor of the forest for the fourth time in the past fifteen minutes. How was he supposed to know that there were so many roots in the forest?

Merlin glared at the tree whose roots he had just tripped over. It was probably doing it on purpose. Merlin kicked the tree. He gasped in pain and clutched his foot while hopping backward away from the tree. He then proceeded to trip over another root.  
Merlin let out a breathy blow of frustration and decided that he was never going to get up, ever again. The big stupid roots would soon grow around him and he would become a permanent part of the forest. Merlin gazed up at the canopy of twisting branches above him, squinting at the slivers of sunlight that peaked from between the foliage.   
There was the sound of rustling coming from behind Merlin’s head. ‘Oh, joy.’ Thought Merlin. ‘It’s a wild animal that has come to put me out of my misery.’ 

“What are you laying on the ground for?” Said a voice that was most definitely not a wild animal.

“I’m becoming one with the forest.” Merlin answered, not moving from his spot.

“Oh. I’m collecting herbs and mushrooms for the camp. Have you seen any non-poisonous mushrooms?”

Merlin raised his head and turned on his side to look at the boy who was standing behind him. He looked to be the same age as Merlin, and was dressed in worn out brown and green clothes.   
“I don’t know what a non-poisonous mushroom looks like.”

The boy shrugged his shoulders and brushed some of his black hair out of his eyes. “Me neither.”

Merlin frowned. “Well that doesn’t sound very safe. What if you poison everyone in your camp place by mistake?”

The boy looked at Merlin as if he was an imbecile. “Aglain could just check if they’re poisonous or not.”

Merlin wrinkled his nose in disgust, and decided not to mention that he had no idea who this Aglain fellow was. “By eating them?”

“No! With magic, stupid.”

Merlin’s eyes grew wide. “You can do magic?”

The boy grinned and straightened. “Sure. Loads of it. My name’s Mordred. What’s yours?”

“I’m Merlin.” Merlin said as he stood up from the ground and brushed off his trousers. “I can do magic too, but my father doesn’t like it.”

“Well, if my father didn’t like magic, I’d still do it.” Mordred started walking, hopping over the offending roots as he passed. 

Merlin rushed to keep up with Mordred. “Well I can’t.” He waved the wrist with the thin silver bracelet in front of Mordred’s face. “See?”

“Hmph. Aglain could probably take it off.”

“Who’s Aglain?”

“He’s the head of the druid camp I live by.” Mordred smiled at Merlin. “You can come with me there, Aglain can take off your bracelet, and then we can do magic together!”

Merlin grinned, a new friend who could do magic and might be able to get the itchy bracelet off, was way better than sulking around the castle. “So…Where is your camp place?”

\--- --- ----------- ------ -- --- --- --- --- --- -- --- - - - --- --- --- - ---------- ---   
Merlin struggled to keep his mouth closed as he gaped at the colorful druid camp spread out before him. There was a multitude of cloth tents strewn around the campsite haphazardly, clothing lines strung out next to wells and several mini fire pits. The whole camp seemed to be arranged around a central area with a big hearth and several logs that seemed to be for sitting on. Druids of all ages wandered through the camp. Women holding buckets of water, men talking animatedly in a circle, children playing tag, jumping over any obstacle that came before them.

Mordred gripped Merlin’s arm and dragged him over to the circle of men. “Come on,” He said. “Let’s go to Aglain.”  
Mordred broke into the circle and marched over to a tall older man with dark skin that seemed to be the in the center of the small huddle. “Aglain.” Mordred tugged on the man’s robes. “This is my new friend Merlin. He needs your help.”

Aglain’s eyebrow’s rose as he looked at Mordred and Merlin appraisingly. “Really? And what may your new friend Merlin need help with?”

Mordred elbowed Merlin. “Show him.” He muttered under his breath.

Merlin pulled up his sleeve, and brought his arms up to show Aglain the silver bracelet that encircled his wrist. “It doesn’t let me do magic.”

Aglain pursed his lips and leaned down. He took Merlin’s wrist into his hands and turned over the bracelet gingerly. “Fortunately, it is a binding of rather weak magic. It only takes a bit of finesse and knowledge to remove it.” Aglain motioned toward one of the logs next to the central hearts. “Have a seat.”

Merlin sat on the log and fiddled with the edge of his shirt nervously. “Um-I don’t know if I can take it off because then everyone will notice I don’t have it anymore.”  
Aglain nodded in understanding. “Perhaps I could simply destroy the magic within the bracelet.” He once again took Merlin’s wrist in his hands and chanted words that were foreign to Merlin, but sent a warm sense of familiarity over him. Aglain’s eyes glowed gold and Merlin could feel the enchantment on his bracelet break. His arm didn’t itch anymore. 

Merlin could feel his once bound magic rushing to the surface and buzzing across his skin. It felt like he was in the center of storm, winds rushing around him, but where he was there was only calm. 

“Calm down Merlin.” Merlin heard Aglain’s voice as if it were through a fog. “Breathe.”  
Merlin took a deep breath in and released it gradually. He did this several more times till the rushing in his ears subsided and his vision cleared. Merlin looked at Aglain leaning over him. “Thank you.” He said with all the sincerity he could muster. 

Aglain nodded and smiled. “You are welcome here anytime, Merlin. If you’d like we can teach you more about your magic, and perhaps those who gave you that bracelet will deem it unnecessary.” 

Mordred grabbed Merlin’s arm and pulled off the log. “Come on, let’s go play. I’ll introduce you to my friend Kara and then we can play hide and seek together.”  
Merlin grinned and allowed himself to be herded along by Mordred. He’d been right. This was an amazing idea.

**Author's Note:**

> Comments, Kudos, Constructive Criticism, and Concerns welcome! :)))


End file.
